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Original poster

Reading offensive racist term out loud in class because a character uses it in the book - Of Mice and Men

62 replies

jewel1968 · 14/09/2020 19:54

Particularly interested in views from English teachers. In my child's school it seems some teachers won't say the word aloud nor will they allow other pupils to say it. Other teachers do say it aloud and this results in the pupils using it as a term of abuse outside the classroom - almost as if saying it aloud in class gives licence to them.

You can probably guess the racist term I am referring to.

OP posts:
Cam2020 · 14/09/2020 20:19

I think teacher should read those passages aloud. Not pupils

Actually yes, I agree with this. It should come from the teacher, not the pupils.

Onceuponatimethen · 14/09/2020 20:18

No but equally I wouldn’t want my (Jewish heritage) child to be expected to read out an anti Semitic passage

Cam2020 · 14/09/2020 20:17

I think certain types of music just might be more influential in the use of that word than Of Mice and Men.

I think it's a good basis for class discussion though. History cannot simply be erased or overlooked - that is extremely dangerous. Should the holocaust be omitted from history in case it offends?

Onceuponatimethen · 14/09/2020 20:17

I think teacher should read those passages aloud. Not pupils

I think teacher should explain before hand how wrong this is and why we are still reading it aloud - to expose racism for the evil it is.

I think it is really important to critique in advance as otherwise the unchallenged repetition can legitimise it. I would feel incredibly uncomfortable to hear a passage using ‘Yid’ etc read out - I’m Jewish

TeenPlusTwenties · 14/09/2020 20:16

If they are reading the book out loud then yes. And acknowledge it is (and in the context of the book was also meant to be wasn't it?) offensive.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 14/09/2020 20:13

I've taught it many times, and always said it aloud. I think it's important to do so, to show just how commonplace an insult it was, and to acknowledge how shocking it now is to hear it.

Never heard it mentioned by any child outside of the classroom.

Original poster
jewel1968 · 14/09/2020 20:12

@TeenPlusTwenties do you think it should be said out loud on class if pupils explicitly say they find it offensive and don't want it said out loud?

OP posts:
TeenPlusTwenties · 14/09/2020 20:09

I think they should say it in class, and discuss why it is so unacceptable, and explicitly say that of course not to use outside of classroom contextual discussion.

WeAllHaveWings · 14/09/2020 20:03

Ds did the book last year, teacher said the word, some friends said the word in class but within context, and some didn't. he is not aware of any issues outside the classroom.

Original poster
jewel1968 · 14/09/2020 20:03

@Moondust001 I know what you mean but apparently it seems to trigger the use outside the classroom.

@waitforitwaitforit as far as I know some of the pupils have expressed their extreme discomfort at the word being read out loud but this has not swayed anybody.

OP posts:
Moondust001 · 14/09/2020 19:58

If secondary age pupils are so easily swayed to use a racist word as abuse because they heard it once in literature class, then I'd suggest that it isn't the book, the word or the class that is the problem.

waitforitwaitforit · 14/09/2020 19:57

According to my colleagues the kids generally opt not to say it when reading aloud. I've not taught it for a few years but may shy away from it now. I used to read the word, and use it to discuss racism and how it's an unacceptable term to use.